If politicians are allegedly auctioning public space to the highest bidder, this should be legalised for our betterment

Hawkers at Ghatkopar West have brazenly taken over almost the entire footpath, leaving a sliver of space for pedestrians to walk on. PIC/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI

The story I refer to in this column occupied our collective attention for a couple of hours before fizzling out, the way all such stories do in countries where rules are only meant for those who can’t afford to break them. Apparently, the leader of a political party in Mulund was accused of selling part of a public footpath to the owner of a fast-food stall. What complicated this otherwise smooth transaction was the fact that the space had already been rented out to someone else. The vendor was angry, which is the only reason this got out. The reason it didn’t capture everyone’s attention the way more important issues — the renaming of a railway station, for instance — usually do, was the absence of surprise.

Everyone knows footpaths aren’t meant for the common man. In fact, there is very little meant for the common man, despite everything........

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